Saturday, September 6, 2014

Prepare to be taken by 'BRUTE FORCE' on 9/14 from Arrow Video in UK

BLU-RAY+DVD COMBO RELEASE – September 15th 2014

NOBODY REALLY ESCAPES

Arrow Films’ Arrow Academy label is proud to announce the release of the American epic Brute Force, on dual-format Blu-ray and DVD on September 15th.Bursting onto American screens in the summer of 1947, Brute Force’s incendiary cocktail of sensation, sweat and sadism excited heated debates among reviewers, as well as attracting eager audiences whose appetite for violent spectacle had clearly not been sated by the war. Following up from the immensely successful release of The Killers (1946), producer Mark Hellinger re-enlisted his newest Hollywood star Burt Lancaster to star in this dark prison film, and it went on to break box-office records in New York, Los Angeles, and several more cities in its seven-week run.

This deluxe edition will include an all-new high definition transfer of the film, alongside a new and exhaustive look at Burt Lancaster's early career by Kate Buford, author of Burt Lancaster: An American Life. The discs will also feature the theatrical trailer, stills gallery and a reversible sleeve featuring the original poster and newly commissioned artwork by Reinhard Kleist. The accompanying collector’s booklet will contain new writing on the film by Frank Krutnik, author of In a Lonely Street: Film Noir, Genre, Masculinity, and Swell Guy, an obituary of Brute Force’s producer, Mark Hellinger, by its screenwriter, Richard Brooks, illustrated with original stills.

SynopsisBefore making the French crime classic Rififi, Jules Dassin was arguably the greatest of film noir directors, responsible for a string of gems including The Naked City, Thieves’ Highway andNight and the City. Brute Force kickstarted that run of pictures and never did a film live up to its name more.

Burt Lancaster is Joe Collins, one of a number of convicts squeezed into cell R17 intent on staging a prison break. Not only does he need to return to the side of his cancer-ridden wife (Ann Blyth), he also wants to escape the clutches of sadistic warden Captain Munsey (an unforgettable performance from Hume Cronyn) who enjoys a reign of terror over the inmates.

Beautifully shot by the great William H. Daniels, tautly written by Richard Brooks (Blackboard Jungle, In Cold Blood) and impeccably acted by its ensemble of noir familiars, Brute Forceremains a prison movie classic.

This deluxe package will be full of special features and bonus material including:

· Collector’s booklet containing new writing on the film by Frank Krutnik, author of In a Lonely Street: Film Noir, Genre, Masculinity, and Swell Guy, an obituary of Brute Force’s producer, Mark Hellinger, by its screenwriter, Richard Brooks, illustrated with original stills